Laueitz anderson



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L. ANDERSON.

BANJO. I. No. 248,979. Patented Nov. 1,1881.

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gitudinal vertical section ofthe saine.

UNITEDA STATES PATENT OEEicE.

LAURITZ ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HERMAN SONNTAG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BANJO.

-SP12UIliICA'lvION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,979, dated November 1, 1881.h

Application filed December 31, 1880.

io echo attachment, inclosed by the surrounding frame and arranged beneath the inside surface of the head of the banjo, said mute or echo attachment being normally retained away from the inner surface of the head by the action of t5 aspring, and having an arm extending outside the banjo-frame with its free disconnected end adapted to bek depressed by pressure against the body of the performer.

' Other features of the invention will be here- 2o inafter described in detail, and specically pointed out in the claims.

This invention is illustrated iii the accompa-nyingdrawiiigs,in which Figurel represents an inverted plan of my banjo. Fig. 2 is a lon- Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the plane x, Fig. 2. Fig. ,4 is a vertical section of the riin on a larger scale than the previous figures.

Similar letters indicate corresponding` parts.

3o In the drawings, the letterA desiguatesthc head of a banjo, which is secured to a ring, B, that fits over the rim C in the usual manner. In the interior of the rim C is iirmly secured a bar, D, which forms the bearing for a twoarmed lever, a, I), one arm, b, of which carries a damper, E, and is exposed tothe action of a spring', c, that throws the damper off from the inner surface of the head A, and has a tendency to retain the arm a in the position shown 4o in Fig. 2-that is vto say, in such a position that the free end of said arin a projects beyond the rear edge of the rim C. The damper E is so situated that when the arm ct is pressed iiiward, said damper bears against the inner surface of the headjust beneath the bridge F.

(No model.)

the sound and to produce the effect of an echo, he presses the banjo up against his body, so as to force the arm a of the damper-lever iuward, and to bring the damper to bear against the inner surface of the head. Instead of connecting the damper E to a double-armed lever, a b, however, as shown iii the drawings, other means might be used for operating the damper, such, for instance, as a cam-slide; and I do not wish to confine myself to the precise inechauism shown in the drawings. Anysiiitable mechanism may be substituted which enables the performer to throw the damper in or out of action, or to cause the saine to bear with more or less pressure against the head while he is playing.

The neck G of my banjo is attached to the rim C, so that it can be readily fastened and unfastened and that the banjo can be packed up in a comparatively small space. This purpose is effected by the following means: To the under surface of the neck, at its inner end, is firmly secured a double-hook, c, Figs. 2 and 3, which can be made to catch over the inner edge ot' the rim and which straddles the lower branch of the rod D that supports the echoattachinent. From the inner end of the neck also projects a steady-pin. d., which engages with a hole in the rim C, Fig. 2. The stringplate I-I is held in position by a latch, e, which engages with the outer end of the bar D, and which, when the strings are loose, can be readily thrown back out ot gearv with said bar. When the string-plate is detached, the neck can be turned down so as to free the steadypin d, and the steady-pin d and the hook c can then be disengaged from the rim. l/Vhen the neck is connected to the rim, as shown in Fig.

2, it is held firmly in position by the strain of the strings.

It will be readily understood that the form of the hook c may be changed and other fastening devices may be substituted, which allow of fastening the neck and unfastening it with little trouble, and I do not wish to contine myself to the precise device shown in the drawings.

The head A is tightened by means of clamps I, which are composed of screws f and hooks g. Each oi' these screws passes through a lug, h, which is rnily secured to the rim C, Fig. 4, and the heads of these screws are provided with nicks or grooves for the reception of a screw-driver. The hooks gcatch over the ring B, to which the head is attached, and their Shanks are enlarged at their inner ends and bored out and tappeti to receive the screwsf. By these means a screw-driver can be used for tightening the head, and thereby the danger of scratching the rim is avoided, and no peculiar wrench is required.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A banjo provided with a mute or echo attachment inclosed by the surrounding frame and arranged beneath the inside surface of the head of the banjo, said niute attachment being normally retained away from the inner surface of the head by the action of a spring, and having an arm extending outside the banjo-frame with its free disconnectrd end adapted to be depressed by pressure against the body of the performer, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the head A and rim C, of a bar, D, fastened in the interior of said rim, and a damper, E, secured to a lever, a Z), which has its bearing in the bar D, subA stantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the riin C, the bar D, and the neck G, of a double hook, c, fastened to the neck and adapted to catch over the lower branch of thc rod D, and of a steady-pin, d, fastened in the inner end of the neck aud adapted to engage with a hole in the rim, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set 1n y hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing` Witnesses.

LA UR ITZ ANDERSON. 

